The International Olympic Committee has banned transgender athletes from competing in the women’s category after announcing its policy to protect it. The IOC executive board has approved the decision that will apply from the LA Olympic Games in 2028 onwards.

In an official release, the IOC said that male sex gives a performance advantage in all sports, particularly those that rely on strength and power, and to protect fairness and safety, it is necessary and adequate to base eligibility for competition on biological sex.

This will be tested by screening for the SRY Gene, which is a segment of DNA that is almost always on the Y chromosome and initiates Male sex development in utero. Athletes who test positive for the SRY gene will not be permitted to compete in the female category.

That is, with the exception of athletes with a diagnosis of Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome, a rare genetic condition where individuals with male chromosomes are completely resistant to making hormones, and other rare differences in sexual development (DSD).

The decision comes after World Athletics made it compulsory for female athletes to take the test to compete in championships or Diamond League events last year.

IOC president Kirsty Coventry said: “As a former athlete, I passionately believe in the rights of all Olympians to take part in fair competition. The policy that we have announced is based on science and has been led by medical experts.

“At the Olympic Games, even the smallest margins can be the difference between victory and defeat. So, it is absolutely clear that it would not be fair for biological males to compete in the female category. In addition, in some sports it would simply not be safe.”

“Every athlete must be treated with dignity and respect, and athletes will need to be screened only once in their lifetime. There must be clear education around the process and counselling available, alongside expert medical advice.”

The Paris 2024 Olympics were overshadowed by high-profile controversies in boxing as Imane Khelif won a gold medal after claims they had failed gender eligibility tests with the International Boxing Association (IBA). Algerian champion Khelif has denied being transgender and taken treatment to lower testosterone levels.

Athletes with a DSD must prove that they ‘do not benefit from the anabolic and/or performance-enhancing effects of testosterone’, however. Speaking last month, Khelif said she was open to taking a sex test.

“Of course, I would accept doing anything I’m required to do to participate in competitions. They should protect women, but they need to pay attention that while protecting women, they shouldn’t hurt other women.”

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New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard was the first openly trans athlete to compete at the Olympics. Aged 43, Hubbard was a medal contender but failed three snatch lifts to finish bottom of her group.

Transgender athletes had been allowed to compete at the Olympics since 2004, with Hubbard meeting the criteria that was in place for the Tokyo Games to challenge in the +87kg category.

Before the 2024 Paris Olympics, track and field, swimming and cycling had already passed rules that excluded transgender women who had been through male puberty.